Dance Studio Giveaway Entry - Sloan's Dance Studio

Sloan's Dance Studio, West Frankfort, Illinois

So, this is a great question. But I think to answer that question, you have to know what a dance floor really is. Is it simply some wood slats thrown together and laid out in a pretty pattern to just sit there? Or is it more than that?

I believe the answer to that question is ''yes.''

Why, and how, you might ask. Let me tell you why. The dance floor is so much more than the collection of parts that make it up. It is the collective place of blood, sweat, and tears, given and shed by every dancer that has had the honor of gracing its presence. It is the basis of dreams and wishes for so many dancers, both young and old. It is the place where it all starts, from learning the basics of ballet technique to late night practice of advanced routines. It is the one common ground of the dancer, where the place you live, the clothes you own, the friends you have, all lose value, and where your innermost desires are able to come to fruition in the form of expressive dance.

The floor we have currently at our studio is old and worn. It has cracks and splits in the seams, but it still manages to do all of these things for our team. And while we aren't the biggest studio with the biggest team, we do well with what we have.

We see our floor as the opportunity to learn anew and dance with the best out there, and win. It's the base of our dance home. It reminds us that we all have flaws, all have something within us that we can do better, or maybe that we are better.

We have been blessed to have a wonderful dance team for several years, and they have all worked so hard to advance the team as a whole. We win as a team, we lose as a team, we grow as a team. It doesn't matter if it's a solo, duet, trio, small group, or large group, we all feel the wins and losses together.

The practice floor at the studio is the life-blood of the team, and where our dance kids have grown and learned. It's the common thread that links them all together and keeps their bonds strong. It's where the big girls help the little girls learn and perfect their technique. It's the place where our dance team meets before the competition to discuss routines. It's the place where our kids make lifelong friendships and laugh and cry together. It is the safe place for our kids to take out their frustrations, if even for an hour at a time, and to just let go of all of their troubles and dance their fears away. It's where our award-winning choreographers teach and inspire and instill confidence and passion into their dancers.

Our dancers dance with passion and commitment well beyond their years, and they are good-hearted and respectful young people because of the teachers who work with them there.

Our studio owner doesn't want to raise prices or ask us to try to raise funds any more than what we have already done because we all give so much already. We aren't rich folks down here with disposable income to be able to just pay a ton of money for the dance classes. We're local folks with talented kids, and the studio owner truly believes in keeping the cost down so all of the kids get a chance to dance their hearts out.

The outside of the studio is rusty and faded metal, and the interior has open beams and could use a lot of work, but we make due as a dance family and would be able to put to great use a new dance floor. Our girls work so hard every day to better themselves in dance, and a new floor would just be the icing on the cake for them.

Seeing how much they have already accomplished with the current studio, I can only imagine that things would be so much better with a new dance studio floor. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to read this submission and allowing us the opportunity to take part in this contest.